My fellow-reviewers have commented that the "She-Devil" in the title is a misnomer, and that the lady in question is far less of a "devil" than her two male flunkies--one of whom, wonderfully played by Raymond Burr, is easily the most frightening, hateful, detestable villain you'll ever encounter in any film, period. But emphasizing this point too much will entirely miss the point of the film.
It is, after all, the "she-devil" who concocts the horrible idea of robbing Tarzan of his power by robbing him of his love. What man, however evil or intelligent, would ever be able to think of that? I refer you to the earlier and more celebrated film "Tarzan and His Mate": in the earlier film, a white hunter launches an evil plot against Tarzan's life, but that scheme is child's play in comparison with this one.
As in "Tarzan and His Mate", the jungle man and defender of animals is opposed by callous ivory hunting white men. "Whenever I am close enough to the elephants - the finest ivory in the world - Poof! Tarzan, he calls them away!", says one of them.
We hear no such useless whining from the boss lady. She knows what Tarzan lives for and she knows where to hit him. Consequently, she comes closer to destroying him than any of his other (usually male) enemies ever could. And she doesn't need to do the overt evil; she gets her male flunkies to do it for her. She knows that Tarzan is above all a man of love, and her scheme is simplicity itself: make him think his love Jane is dead, thus breaking his spirit. Then, as a climax, reveal to him that she's alive, and make a deal: call the elephants for us, and the two of you are free. Is that a she-devil or not? You bet!
Tarzan, of course, outsmarts her; his famous quick mind returns in a flash when he sees Jane alive. "Tarzan call elephants", he says, doing such a good imitation of a broken man that the viewer is totally fooled along with the ivory hunters. Then he has an enclosure built (to attract the elephants into) and says to the native attendants, "Tarzan say when close gates." The native gives him a dirty look, as if to say, "Yeah, 'Tarzan say when close gates'! Cop-out!" Tarzan calls the elephants, and when they're stampeding toward the gates he yells out, "Close gates!" and the camp is stampeded. The ivory hunters are presumably killed as Tarzan rescues Jane and rides off with her on an obliging elephant. The ending is magnificently happy.
The earlier "Tarzan and His Mate" is best seen in a double feature with "Tarzan and the She-Devil." The earlier film, a lyrical celebration of Tarzan's life with Jane, features a fellow named Holt, an old flame of Jane's. Holt has apparently killed the ape-man and made it look like an accident. Armed with this false report, he woos Jane into agreeing to accompanying him back to "civilization." (It goes without saying that Holt is an ivory hunter, and that his style is greatly cramped by Tarzan's presence.) As those who have seen the earlier film will recall, Jane's interest in Holt and in "civilization" disappear when she realizes that Tarzan is very much alive.
Well, "Tarzan and the She-Devil" pursues a rather interesting and similar angle. Here, the plot against Tarzan is ten times more evil than anything Holt or any other man could have come up with in a million years. Women, as also men, can be good or not so good. But the female of the species bears the more watching.
It is, after all, the "she-devil" who concocts the horrible idea of robbing Tarzan of his power by robbing him of his love. What man, however evil or intelligent, would ever be able to think of that? I refer you to the earlier and more celebrated film "Tarzan and His Mate": in the earlier film, a white hunter launches an evil plot against Tarzan's life, but that scheme is child's play in comparison with this one.
As in "Tarzan and His Mate", the jungle man and defender of animals is opposed by callous ivory hunting white men. "Whenever I am close enough to the elephants - the finest ivory in the world - Poof! Tarzan, he calls them away!", says one of them.
We hear no such useless whining from the boss lady. She knows what Tarzan lives for and she knows where to hit him. Consequently, she comes closer to destroying him than any of his other (usually male) enemies ever could. And she doesn't need to do the overt evil; she gets her male flunkies to do it for her. She knows that Tarzan is above all a man of love, and her scheme is simplicity itself: make him think his love Jane is dead, thus breaking his spirit. Then, as a climax, reveal to him that she's alive, and make a deal: call the elephants for us, and the two of you are free. Is that a she-devil or not? You bet!
Tarzan, of course, outsmarts her; his famous quick mind returns in a flash when he sees Jane alive. "Tarzan call elephants", he says, doing such a good imitation of a broken man that the viewer is totally fooled along with the ivory hunters. Then he has an enclosure built (to attract the elephants into) and says to the native attendants, "Tarzan say when close gates." The native gives him a dirty look, as if to say, "Yeah, 'Tarzan say when close gates'! Cop-out!" Tarzan calls the elephants, and when they're stampeding toward the gates he yells out, "Close gates!" and the camp is stampeded. The ivory hunters are presumably killed as Tarzan rescues Jane and rides off with her on an obliging elephant. The ending is magnificently happy.
The earlier "Tarzan and His Mate" is best seen in a double feature with "Tarzan and the She-Devil." The earlier film, a lyrical celebration of Tarzan's life with Jane, features a fellow named Holt, an old flame of Jane's. Holt has apparently killed the ape-man and made it look like an accident. Armed with this false report, he woos Jane into agreeing to accompanying him back to "civilization." (It goes without saying that Holt is an ivory hunter, and that his style is greatly cramped by Tarzan's presence.) As those who have seen the earlier film will recall, Jane's interest in Holt and in "civilization" disappear when she realizes that Tarzan is very much alive.
Well, "Tarzan and the She-Devil" pursues a rather interesting and similar angle. Here, the plot against Tarzan is ten times more evil than anything Holt or any other man could have come up with in a million years. Women, as also men, can be good or not so good. But the female of the species bears the more watching.